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Immigration: Devolved Administrations

Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Immigration is a reserved matter. Immigration legislation applies throughout the United Kingdom and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office has responsibilities and powers throughout the UK.

IND officials liaise with and consult devolved authorities as necessary. The regional director for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Scotland has close links with the Scottish Executive and relevant authorities in respect of immigration control matters. This includes the police, procurator fiscal, Court Service, Prison Service and other criminal justice services in Scotland. There are close links between IND and the devolved authorities in respect of issues surrounding asylum seekers and refugee integration. Links across the relevant criminal justice agencies will be enhanced by the new UK Immigration Service Local Enforcement Office, presently in place in Belfast, which will be fully operational by the end of 2006. This office is intended to be a multi-agency hub of expertise which will work in close liaison with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Development of liaison with the devolved authorities in Northern Ireland is dependent onthe re-establishment of the Assembly and the reinstatement of devolved government.

In his Statement of 23 May, the Home Secretary identified that one of the eight priority areas for management to improve the effectiveness of arrangements for deporting foreign national prisoners was to work with colleagues in Scotland and Northern Ireland to audit the numbers of foreign national prisoners released in Scotland and Northern Ireland and to establish how many of these were referred to IND for consideration of deportation. He demanded that clear procedures for dealing with foreign national prisoners held in Scotland and Northern Ireland be written and followed. Progress with the issues set out in the Statement of 23 May will be reported shortly.

There are no provisions for joint decision-making, as immigration is a reserved matter.



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Indonesia: Human Rights

Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Our embassy in Jakarta is monitoring the cases of Philep Karma and Yusak Pakage. Philep Karma and Yusak Pakage are appealing against their sentences and we await the results of their appeal. We have not made representations on the case.

Israel and Palestine

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): During his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's foreign affairs adviser on 10 July, our ambassador in Tel Aviv raised our concerns about the arrest of members of the Palestinian Authority.

The temporary international mechanism is already paying for the supply of some utilities for the Occupied Territories. The UK has supported the work of the European Commission to prepare to pay allowances to health workers by seconding individuals to the Commission's team and making the use of an armoured car available. The European Commission is still working to make the first payments to medical workers in July, but the security situation is slowing progress. The mechanism will ensure that healthcare continues to be provided in the Occupied Territories. It will also work to help to provide the poorest segments of Palestinian society with basic needs allowances and to ensure the uninterrupted supply of utilities, including fuel. The mechanism will be run by both the World Bank and the European Commission.

We will continue to raise our concerns about settlement activity with the Israeli Government. Settlements are illegal under international law and settlement construction is an obstacle to peace. The

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road map is clear that Israel should freeze all settlement construction, including the “natural growth” of existing settlements, and dismantle all outposts built since 2001. We welcome the Israeli Government's commitment to dismantling outposts and hope that they will act as soon as possible. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv last raised our concerns with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's Chief of Staff, Yoram Turbowicz, on 7 June.

We believe that all Palestinians should continueto have access to east Jerusalem. On 11 July, our ambassador in Tel Aviv raised our concerns with the Israeli Minister responsible for Jerusalem, the Israeli Interior Minister and the Israeli Defence Minister about allowing people living in east Jerusalem to continue to have access to Area A. He also raised our concerns about restrictions on people living in the West Bank entering east Jerusalem who were unduly held at checkpoints.

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Triesman: We, along with our quartet (EU, UN, US and Russia) partners, remain concerned about the ongoing situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories. Individually, quartet members have made their concerns clear about the use of force.

We have made clear the need for Israeli action to be in accordance with international law and for Israel to seek to avoid civilian casualties and to abide by the principle of proportionality.

On 25 June and 6 July, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about the current situation with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni and Palestinian President Abbas. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv and officials at our consulate in Jerusalem and in London have remained fully engaged with both parties about the situation.

Israel and Palestine: East Jerusalem

Baroness Tonge asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The Government have made no representations on this specific issue. We do, however, consistentlymake representations to the Government of Israel concerning the continued existence and expansion of illegal settlements in east Jerusalem and have called for their dismantlement.



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Israel and Palestine: Gaza

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We have no immediate plans to make representations to the Government of Israel to replace the roads and bridges targeted by the Israel Defence Force and to pay compensation to the Palestinian Authority.

On 25 June and 6 July, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about the current situation in Gaza with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni and Palestinian President Abbas. On 10 July, our ambassador in Tel Aviv raised our concerns about the destruction of infrastructure with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert's foreign policy adviser. We have also raised this directly with the Israel Defence Force.

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Triesman: The UK and the G8 remain committed to the pledge made at Gleneagles to stimulate a global financial contribution of up to US$3 billion per year over three years. We remain ready to engage with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on the Gleneagles commitment, but the PA Government need to meet the three quartet (EU, UN, US and Russia) principles of non-violence, recognition of Israel and acceptance of all previous agreements and obligations, including the road map, and to carry out the necessary planning for how to use the investment. We remain concerned about the current situation in Gaza and anticipate that the situation there and in Lebanon will have been discussed in St Petersburg.

Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:

Lord Triesman: On 25 June and 6 July, my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about the current situation with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni and Palestinian President Abbas. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv and officials at our consulate in Jerusalem and in London have continued to engage with both parties about the situation. We urge the Israeli military to do everything

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in its power to avoid civilian casualties and abide by international law. All military action should abide by the principle of proportionality. We continue to urge both parties to act with restraint and to end the current violence, which only makes the prospect of a negotiated, peaceful resolution more distant. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of Corporal Shalit and for the Palestinian Authority to prevent all acts of terrorism against Israel.

Israel and Palestine: Jordan Valley

Baroness Tonge asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The Government regularly make representations to the Government of Israel on the subject of the expansion of settlements and agricultural developments and have consistently called for an end to all expansion of settlements on occupied land. My right honourable friend the Prime Minister raised the issue of Israeli settlements during the recent visit of the Israeli Prime Minister and my noble and learned friend the Attorney-General specifically raised the issue of settlements in the Jordan valley during his visit to Israel in May this year.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank and Gaza

Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We do not keep records of the number of Jewish people who have made representations about Israeli government actions.

Between January 2006 and June 2006, we received 455 letters from honourable Members and noble Lords regarding the Middle East peace process. We have also received a large number of letters from members of the public and have held meetings with Jewish organisations that campaign against Israeli government actions. We continue to raise our concerns with the Israeli Government at all levels.

Palestine: Aid

Baroness Tonge asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): The Department for International Development is in regular contact with charities regarding the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and on aid policy. However, we cannot provide legal advice or advice on US policy. If asked, we would refer the charity to the US Treasury.

People Trafficking

Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Responsibility for dealing with any trafficking offences in relation to the World Cup was rightly a matter for the German authorities. The UK stated that it would support all efforts made by the German authorities during this period to prevent the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation, should such a request be received. In connection with this, a 500-word article raising awareness of the possibility of trafficked women being forced to work in brothels was placed in the England football supporters fanzine that was distributed to travelling supporters to coincide with the first World Cup game against Paraguay. I am pleased to say that monitoring of the movement of people from eastern Europe to Germany has not revealed an increase in human trafficking for sexual exploitation during the World Cup.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There are aspects of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings that are currently of concern. The particular areas of concern relate to issues surrounding the provision of recovery and reflection periods (Article 13) and residence permits (Article 14). The mandatory nature of these provisions, when coupled with the scope of the convention, has led to concerns that the provisions will act as an immigration pull factor, encourage spurious claims and be used by those who have no right to remain in an effort to frustrate removal. Abuse of the provisions would ultimately impact on those in genuine need of assistance. The Government are examining how the convention's approach could best be harmonised with effective immigration controls.

Questions for Written Answer

Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked the Leader of the House:

The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): The information that the noble Lord requested is not collated centrally and it was therefore not possible to provide it from a single source. I understand that Questions have since been tabled asking for the same information from individual departments, and that responses will be forthcoming shortly.

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